Clothes hanger



Oct 17, 1944. N Z I 2,360,458

CLOTHES HANGER Filed March 25; 1944 ITi-lm lHl J-AEP J PAUL L-WE'NTZ Patented Oct. 17, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHES HANGER Paul L. Wentz, Fo'storia, Ohio Application March 25, 1944, Serial No. 528,106

2 Claims.

This invention relates to laundry appliances and particularly to a clothes hanging device.

The object of this invention is the provision of a clothes rack or hanger of simple, novel and inexpensive construction and adapted to be easily and quickly suspended in usable position, and also folded in compact form when not in use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved clothes hanger of the suspended line type, which comprises a pair of suspending lines held in spaced relation by crossbars of a rigid or stiff nature and which are adjustable lengthwise of the lines to enable them to be usably spaced thereon or to be compactly positioned for folding or packing when not in use, together with means for holding the crossbars in adjusted position on the lines.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a clothes hanger of the class described, wherein cross-bars are mounted for sliding adjustment lengthwise of the suspending lines, of simple and efficient means at each bar end which is movable therewith lengthwise of the line and is operable to hold the bar in any adjusted position on the line or to permit free relative movements thereof.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of a clothes hanger embodying the invention in set-up position, with parts broken away; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view thereof showing several cross-bars in close side abutting relation and one separated therefrom; Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of one end portion of a cross-bar and a portion of a line on which it is threaded, and Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section thereof on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3, with the clamping member shown in released position in full lines and in line clamping position in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawing, l, l designate two flexible lines, preferably of the rope-type such as used in clotheslines, disposed side by side and adapted to have their ends attached to spaced walls, posts or other supports. It is preferable to have the adjacent ends of the two lines connected together and also to provide each pair of such connected ends with a centrally disposed loop 2 for engagement with a single hook 3 on a respective wall or support 4.

The lines I, l are spaced apart by a plurality of cross-bars 5, preferably of uniform length, so that the connected portion of the lines are held in predetermined spaced parallel relation thereby. These bars are of thin slat-dorm and may be of wood, or other suitable stiff material, and each has a hole 6 therethroug h near each land through which the respective line I is loosely threaded. The holes 6 arethrough the width or narrow dimensions of the bars, so that in use a narrow edge of each bar faces upwardly.

Each hole 6 is crossed or intersected by a slot 8 extending through the bar from top to bottom. These slots may be formed by cutting a narrow recess in each bar end parallel with its sides and the material of the bar then reinforced against splitting by the insertion andv securing of a filler piece 9 within the outer end portion of the recess, with the grain of the insert crossing that of the bar, if they are of wood.

A line clamp II] is mounted in each slot 8 in straddling relation to the intersecting line I and is manually movable crosswise of the line into position to either clamp the line to prevent movements of the bar thereon or to release the line to permit such movements. This clamp preferably comprises a spring wire member of elongated loop form having two spaced lengthwise extending legs a, b, with their major or lower portions spaced apart to permit a free movement of the associated line therethrough, and with their upper end portions more closely spaced to provide a restricted loop portion 0, which, by lengthwise movement of the clamp crosswise of the line, may be forcibly drawn into clamping engagement therewith and thereby hold the bar in any desired position of adjustment.

The clamp I0 is of sufllcient length to extend at its lower end below the bottom edge of the bar to provide a handle portion d to be grasped when moving the clamp to engage or release the line. In the present instance, the leg b is bent outwardly near its lower end to provide the clamp with a broadened handle portion having a shoulder thereon for engagement with a lower edge wall of the slot 8 to limit the upward or releasing movements of the clamp relative to the bar. The clamp legs are of sufficient length and sufficiently pliant to permit a relative outward springing thereof as the line is drawn into the clamping portion 0. It is preferable to restrict the entrance to the clamping portion 0 relative to the broader body portion of the clamp, so as to prevent any tendency of the line to spring out of said portion. It is also preferable to terminate the ends of the clamp wire in adjacent relation and to weld or otherwise suitab y attach them to form a closed loop and thereby strengthen the legs against outward expanding movements.

It is apparent that the hanger embodying the invention is of light and durable construction and is capable of being compactly folded for storing by placing the cross-bars close together and then wrapping the free portions of the lines I therearound, and also that the hanger may be quickly hung for use by simply engaging the looped ends of the lines with supporting hooks properly positioned for the purpose and at the same time spacing the cross-bars 5 thereon to properly position them for hanging clothes thereto and to retain the lines in proper spaced relation. It will be understood that the spacing of the lines by the cross-bars and the length of the space between the attaching hooks 3 combine to hold the lines in taut suspended position. The

cross-bars can be easily shifted to any position on the lines when the respective clamps Ill are in the position shown in Fig. 4 and can be firmly secured in adjusted position to the lines by drawing the clamps down so as to cause the restricted loop portions 0 thereof to engage the rope.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A clothes hanger of the class described having a pair of transversely spaced pliant lines adapted to be connected at their ends to spaced supports to suspend the lines therebetween, crossbars transversely connecting the lines to retain them in predetermined spaced relation and being slidably movable thereon, each bar having a. transverse hole near each end through which a respective line is threaded and also having a cross-space in intersecting relation to the hole, and a spring clampin member of loop form disposed in said cross-space in straddling relation to the line and being loose on the line when in one position relative thereto and having clamping engagement therewith when in another position relative thereto.

2. A clothes hanger of the class described having a pair of transversely spaced pliant lines adapted to be connected at their ends to spaced supports to suspend the lines therebetween, crossbars transversely connecting the lines to retain them in predetermined spaced relation and being slidably movable thereon, each bar having a transverse hole near each end through which a respective line is threaded and also a cross-space in intersecting relation to the hole, and a looped wire clamp projected into each of said crossspaces and having a pair of spaced legs forming a loop which has a portion for loosely receiving the line and an adjoining restricted communicating portion into which the line is moved by forced movement of the clamp to prevent sliding of the clamp and cross-bar on the line, said clamp having a part projecting without the cross-space to facilitate manual movement thereof.

PAUL L. WEN'IZ. 

